Month: January 2023

Plastic concrete settles when vibrated. There will be no cracks if the concrete settles uniformly. Some cracks are bound to occur if there is any obstruction to uniform settlement due to reinforcement or larger pieces of aggregates. Such cracks are called settlement cracks. Such cracks are formed generally in deep beams.

Evaporation of water from fresh concrete is due to the absorption by formwork and during the hydration process. The surface of concrete dries up when the loss of water from the surface of the concrete is faster than the migration of water from the interior to the surface. This creates a moisture gradient which results… Continue reading Plastic Shrinkage Cracks

Factors that contribute to the formation of cracks in cement concrete are discussed below.

The following tests are commonly employed to measure workability of fresh concrete: Slump Test It is the most commonly used method of measuring consistency of concrete. This test can be conducted in the field or in a laboratory. However, this test is not suitable for very wet or very dry concrete. The apparatus for conducting… Continue reading Testing of Fresh Concrete

Testing of fresh and hardened concrete is important in concrete construction. Tests are conducted on fresh concrete to check the workability of concrete, and on hardened concrete to determine the strength, creep effects, durability, etc.

Applied finish is the exterior application of rendering made on concrete structures. In this case the concrete surface is finished and kept wet after which mortar (1:3) is applied. The desired finish is then given to the mortar. Sometimes the rendering applied on a wall is pressed with a sponge. On repeating this process, the… Continue reading Applied Finish

This is a commonly used method of surface finishing. It is important for a residential floor to be smooth. To obtain a smooth finish, first the proportioning of mix should be appropriate. The finishing of surface should be at the same rate as that of placing of concrete. Attention must be paid to the extent… Continue reading Surface Treatment

Concrete maintains the shape of formwork, i.e., centering work. Thus, keeping the required shape through formwork, viz., undulated fashionable shapes, V-shaped finishes, plain surfaces, etc., any pleasing surface can be obtained. The imaginative ideas of architects may be implemented by a careful formation of concrete surface. A properly made out formwork can give a very… Continue reading Formwork Finishes

Finishing is the last stage in concrete construction. After casting of a concrete, the concrete does not offer a pleasant architectural appearance. In some cases like beams, finishing may not be needed. For a residential building, airport or road pavement and culvert and bridges, finishing is a must. Now-a-days, the centering materials are so made… Continue reading FINISHING

The following methods of curing are adopted depending on the type of work: Direct Curing In this method water is directly applied to the surface of curing. In this process, the surface is continuously cured by stagnating water, or using moist gunny bags, straws, etc. These methods are used for horizontal surfaces. Vertical surfaces can… Continue reading Curing of Concrete